Automobile carshproof safety device



Y I I J. T. ZINKOWETSKY 2,047,723

.AUTOMOBILE GRASHPROOF SAFETY DEVICE Filed July 17, 1935 INVENTOR JAcogT. INKOWETSKY I ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1936 PATENT OFFICE AUTOMOBILE CRASHP F SAFETY DEVICE'J Jacob T.- zinkowetskyj New wk, N. Y. Application July 17, 1935, Serial'No. 31,773

' 1.7 Claims; (crass-55') V This invention relates'to new and useful improvements inan automobile crash proof safety device 1 I l 1 CL; I I. .x

*{Th invention hasfor an object-the construction of safety devices which are adapted to be attachedupon the-chassis of a vehicle, at the front and at the back, orin either place as desired, and which arecapable of absorbing shocks to a' verylargedegree, so'as to make the auto- 6 mobile immun'e'in collisions of certain types. r

I More particularly, as it relates to each safety device, the'invention proposes the use of a pneumatic cushion arranged within a frame having a resilient front side, and said frame being attached 15" uponthe chassis in such a manner, that when shocks: and stresses are impinged against the frame, they will becommunicated to the pneumatic cushion and be absorbed.

' .Astillfurther object of this invention is a novel 20 construction "of the frame: to facilitate the mounting-andremoval of the pneumatic cushion when desired. 1 v

1 Still further, the invention contemplates a constructionof pneumatic cushion which is adapted to be inflatedjvery easily. similar to the inflation of a tire, to compensate for lost air..

,lpqAnother objectof this .invention is'the constructionof a device as mentioned which is sim-' plejanddurable and which canbe manufactured so and sold at a reasonable cost. i

.- Forgfurther comprehension of the invention, and, of the objectsand.advantagescthereof, reference willfibe. had to the following description and. accompanying drawing, and to the appended 35 claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth. In-the accompanying drawing forming a materialpartof this disclosure; V

figl is-aplan yiew of an automobile chassis 40' equipped: with aqcrash proof safety-device according to t is in entio -2 1 1 Fig. 2;is;afrontelevat onal view-. of Fiiil.

Fig. this a fragmentary plan view of a portion 4 F'g. .4 fragmentarysectional viewfltaken on the. line 4+4 .of i Fig. 2}, f

3 v5 a, r a memarysecuoea View taken as thelinejfilof Fig. l. V 1 v Fig. '6 is'a fragmentary sectional view taken another embodiment of the: invention,

ational View looking from the ls is a view similar to Fig. 1.10111; illustrating trating a still further modified form of the invention. 3

-The crash proof safety device, according to this invention, consists of a frame If] having a resilient front side I 0' and adapted to be attached 5 upon the front or rear ends of the chassis ll of an automobile, in place of the conventional bumpers. Within the frame there is mounted a pneumatic cushion I2 arranged in such a manner as to contact with the front resilient side I0 to absorb shocks.

The frame I I] includes a pair of sections III and] 0 connected with each other by a hook and eye construction l3. 7 Loop shaped anchor bolts l4 partially encircle the sides of the sections m and l and rigidly connect these portions upon the chassis II. The hook and eye construction 131's arranged at the center of the chassis between the adjacent ends of the frame sections. The sides of the frame sections Ill and I0 diverge, and at theends are formed with hook portions [5.

4 The rresilient front side H! has two ends equipped with hingedly mounted loop members 16 adapted to engage the hook portions l5 for the connection of these parts. The loop members l6 have portions of their sides engaged within bent ends of the front side In. These bent ends are held in fixedposition by the provision of a plurality of rivets |1 engaging through the ends and the adjacent material of the front side I0. Stop projections l8 are formed near the bases of thehooks [5 for limiting inward swinging of the loop members l6.

. The pneumatic cushion I2 is composed of two sections 12 and l2 connected along a small area by a solid connection portion 20. The constructionisv such that there is a space 2| between the adjacent ends of the cushion sections I 2 and I2 A plurality of U-shaped supporting fingers 22 are mounted in the frame [0, includingthe front side [0", and engage the material adjacent the edges of the "pneumatic cushion for holding the cushion in position. An auxiliary fixed frame 23 is attached upon the inner side of a front member Ill/,aridat the ends is formed with fixed U-shaped elements 24 engaging the material adjacent the edgesof "the cushion sections,

The connecting portionfZll is equipped with a conventional air valve 25 to inflate the cushion sections I2 and I2P. Further, details as to the 5f) valves will notbe given in this specification since similar valves are generally known: for example, valves on the tires of automobiles, For each of the cushion sections l2 -Iand 12 there is an open.- ing 26 in the front side l0. Studs 21' extending from cushion i2 are engageable in said openings 26 and are provided for the purpose of keeping the cushion sections in place.

Each of the U-shaped members 22 is formed with a dovetailed tongue 28 upon its center, said tongues engaging in receiving grooves 29 formed upon the inner sides of the frame In. The arrangement is such that the U-shaped members 22 may be moved along the sides of the frame to various desired positions. Each of the U'-shaped members 22 carries a stud 30 which has an'inher head 3| adapted to be depressed by the material of the pneumatic cushion when the latter element is inflated. In the depressed condition of the studs 30, the front ends 32 engage serrations 33 formed in the bases of the grooves 29. The U-shaped members 22 are thus locked in fixed positions. When the pneumatic cushion is deflated a sufficient amount, it is possible to move the U-shaped supporting members 22 to desired positions since the studs 30 will automatically move to disengaged positions as the U shaped members are moved along. A feature of the adjustment of the members resides inthe fact that the pneumatic cushion may be supported at different areas so as to. eliminate undue wear of the cushion at fixed areas.

In Fig. 3 a modified form of the invention has been disclosed which distinguishes from the previous form merely in the constructionv of the frame of the device. More particularly, the device is equipped with a frame It] having end sections Hi and l0 integral with each other. In other respects the construction is identical and similar parts may be recognized by the same reference numerals.

In Fig. 9 the pneumatic cushion I2 is illustrated without sections, as a single cushion memher and may be inflated by an air valve 25.

The operation of the device is as follows: In the operative condition, the pneumatic cushion is inflated with a pre-determined pressure of air, depending merely upon design. Should the automobile strike some object, or should some object strike the automobile on the safety device, which is located in prominent positions, the shock will be absorbed by the pneumatic cushion. The resilient front side It) has sufficient give to permit the transfer of the stresses. 1

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An automobile crash proof safety device, comprising a frame having a resilient front side and adapted to be attached uponthe front and rear ends of an automobile chassis injpl ace of the bumpers, and a pneumatic 'cushion within the frame in intimate contact with, said front side, said frame being composed ofmembers connected together, including 'a pair of members connected with a hook and eye construction upon adjacent ends urged intofixed engagement with each other'by said pneumaticv cushion.

'zfinn'automobile crash proof safety device, comprising a frame having a resilient front side and adapted to, be attachedpupon the. front and rear ends of an automobile chassis in place of the bumpers, and a pneumatic cushion within the frame in intimate contact with said front side, said frame being composed of sectional pieces connected together, including a pair of members connected with a hook and eye construction upon adjacent ends, the free ends of said members diverging and terminating in hooks, and said front side being equipped with loop members engageable with the hooks for the connection of the parts.

3. An' automobile crash proof safety device,

comprising a frame having a resilient front side "and adapted to be attached upon the front and rear ends of an automobile chassis in place of the bumpers, and a pneumatic cushion within the frame in intimate contact with said front side, said pneumatic cushion being composed ofsections, connected together, each of the sections being equipped with joining air passage and a common air inflation valve.

. 4. An automobile crash proof safety device, om sin a f am having a esi n ron i e and adapted to be attached upon the front and rear ends of an automobile chassis in place of t bum rs. n a pn ma u ion w t the frame in intimate contact with said front side, and U-shaped clips mounted upon said frame and engaging the edges of the material of said cushion for holding the cushion in posi: tion, said clamps having do ve;tailed shaped tongues engaging in receiving grooves on the inner sides of the frame to permit adjustments of the positions of the clips.

5. An automobile crash proof safety device, comprising a frame having a, resilient front side and adapted to be attached upon the front and rear ends of an automobile chassis in place of the bumpers, and a pneumatic cushion within the frame in intimate contact with said front side, said pneumatic cushion being composed of sections, connected together, U-shaped clips movably mounted on said frame and supporting said cushion and means for holding the u-shaped clips in fixed positions operative by the material of the cushion in the inflated condition of the cushion.

6. An automobile crash proof safety device, comprising. a frame with grooves having a resilient front side and adapted to be attached upon the front and rear ends of an automobile chassis in place of the bumpers, and a pneumatic cushion within the frame in intimate contact with said front side, said pneumatic cushion being composed of sections, connected together,

U-shaped clips movably mounted on said frame and supporting said cushion, and means for holding the U'-shaped clips in fixed positions operative by the material of the cushion in theinflated con'dition of the cushion, comprising studs slidable through the U-shaped clips and having heads engaging the pneumatic cushion, the other ends ofsaid studs having teeth engaging rack teeth formed in the bases of saidgrooves. I

e s emeb rash. p e safety ev comprising a frame with grooves having a resil ient front side and adapted to be attached upon the front and rear ends of an automobile chassis in place of the bumpers, and a. pneumatic cushion within the frame in intimate contact with said front side, said pneumatic cushion being composed of sections, connected together, U- shaped clips movably mcunted on said frame and supporting said cushion, and means for holdme ts sheiesi lirs fir Po iti n operative by the material of the cushion in the inflated condition of the cushion, comprising studs slidable through the U-shaped clips and having heads engaging the pneumatic'cushion, the other 5 ends of said studs having teeth engaging rack teeth formed in the bases of said grooves, said pneumatic cushion being formed or held together by sections with a space therebetween, a support bracket mounted upon the front side of said frame and terminating in fixed U-shaped clips engaging the materials of the cushion at the separated portions thereof.

JACOB T. ZINKOWETSKY. 

